Apparatus for cleaning pipes or drains



Sept. 16, 1952 J. v. o'BRlEN APPARATUS FOR CLEANING PIPES OR DRAINS 2 SHEETS--SHEET 1 Original Filed March 11, 1947 Sept. 16, 1952 v01-:1mm 2,610,807

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING PIPES OR DRAINS Original Filed March l1, 1947 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Patented Sept. 16, A1952 OR DRAINS..

APPARATUS FOR erstmalige..ruinsl i JolinVL OBrien, ParltARdge,` Ill:

Original application March 11, 1947 SeralNo. 7332810.A now- Patent No. 2,552,808, l datedl May '15,1951'. Divided'and this application February'T,1948;SerialNo.6,896

The inventionV relates` generally to improvements in apparatus: for use; inV cleaningv pipes' of various kinds, and removing-.stoppages in drains, such. as sink. drains, iloor drains, etc., but relates more'. particularly` to. portable. apparatus'- ior this purpose.

The `present application a; divisional one;l and the subject matter hereinv was; rstdisclosed in my. co-pending application Serial Number^733,810, led March l1,` 1947, andl which issued into Letters Patent No; 2,552,808; on May` 15;,1951.

The generalobjectof the.l invention isito pro-r vide apparatus of this kind which shall be light, compact and sturdy so that ity may be easily carried and operatedby one man and which at the same time shall function efficiently' for a variety of purposes, such ascleaning out scale, corrosion and stoppages-in drainsand pipes..

Another object of. the invention. iseto provideV an apparatus of this kindhaving a motor for actuating theilexible cable. to which the. cutter element isv attached, and an associated drum` for storing the unused'portion of thecable, the-motorV in non-operativeposition being supportedv closely adjacent the drum so. thatv thedrumv and motor. may betransported.' as a.unit,.and the. motor. being easily withdrawn withv suflicientcable as neces.- sary for use in thev cleaningofpipes, drainsy and the. like.

Again itV is an object ofthe.V invention.v to provide a ilexible. cable storagev drumand stand for supporting the drum, so that the drum may freely rotate on one axisin response to torque, developed in the cable by the powerv unit in a cleaningoperation and which vdrum trunnionedon a horizontal axisY to enable. the. drumto be. swung to the position best adapted to permit the cablev to pass from the drum to. and' through the. power unit during a cleaning operation.

Other objects'and advantages of the invention will appear as Iproceed with a descriptionof the invention in connectionl with the accompanyingA drawing in' which Fig. 1' is' a perspective view of apparatus em'- bodying my invention, ther parts" beingv in the non-operative position they occupy when the device isready to bevstored or transported.

Fig-.2 is a. top plan view'of'the apparatus; but with the motor; removed, as when usedV and themotor supportingV armi swung` downwardly into a position of rest against. theo'top of. theidrum:

supporting cradle. Fig. 3 is. a detail sectional view on .the line 3 of'1=ig..2...r K

Fig. i is a. Viewv of. the; apparatus.- in elevation,y

s claims. 01. 24a-54X y l f 2 certain of the parts beingubroken away to disclose the interior yconstruction and only aportion of the handle of kthe power unit being shown, and

Fig. 5 is a view, at right angles to Fig. 4, showing the drum tilted at anangle, being one of a.

number of positions in which itmay be placed permanently secured-to the members SQ-SasbyV welding, or in any other suitable manner.` The top portions of the uprightsv 9`9 are preferablyA bent outwardly at right anglesand thenA reverse folded as shown at III-I0'. There is thus provided parts which may serve as handles, if' desired, although theapparatus as a whole maybe conveniently carried'in one hand', byfgrasping thetop span ofthe cradle member ilslightlyy atone side of center.

The cradle 3" is conveniently'a casting compris-- inga4 bottom span portionll, upstandingside portions IZ-IZ and top portions I3-I3, which extend upwardly and inwardly and whichV merge into an integral offset'central portion I5".

Associated with the offset portion I5-isy a plate I6, which is bowed outwardly so that'a spherical' portion I'Iof a brass` bearing sleevefIa,` which is positioned in the top of the d'ruxnalong the-'axis of rotation of the drum, may be clamped between said parts'. There is thusfprovided a self* aligning bearing for the upper'part of they drum and through which the cable passes into'- and out of the drum;

The lower part ofthe drum supported upon an anti-friction bearing carried'- inthe central' part. of the lower'span II of' the cradle 32 As shown the anti-friction bearing comprisesv a ball bearing I9, whichk is accommodatedv in an opening in the span II, being supported by a plate- 20 bolted tothe under sideof the sparr I-I".

Thev bottom wall oi" the drumV carries a stud 2| having. a reduced portion '22,.which engages the centerxrin'g of the anti-friction bearing and a reducedr andthreaded upper portion 23,.which extends.v into the interior of the drum.. Onl the bottom outside surface ofV the; drumis a. 'rein-4 forcing plate 24 and. on thefinner surface is a.:

reinforcing plate 24I being pressed firmly against the respective sides of the drum bottom.

By the means described, the drum is positioned for free rotation in the cradle 3 in response to torque imparted to the flexible cable 5 when rotated by the power unit 4.

In the operation of the apparatus, it is convenient to have the axis of rotation of the drum in a, position other than vertical for which reason the cradle is mounted so that it maybe swung or tilted to the desired position, one such position being shown in Fig. 5. For this purpose there is provided a bolt 21 at each side of the stand. The bolts 21 pass through openings in theuprights 9-9 and have threaded engagement with a tapped hole in the adjacent portion of each cradle side portion (see Fig. 3`). A washer 28 is provided under the head of the bolt. These bolts are drawn up just tight enough to permit the cradle to be swung to the desired position, but so that the cradle, and drum carried thereby. will remain in any placed position.

The power unit 4 comprises a motor 30 having a gear housing 3| at one end and a hollow handle portion 32 at the opposite'end. 'Extending from the gear housing end of the power unit is `achuck 33 through which the flexible cable 5 passes and by means of which the actuation of they cable by the power unit may be controlled. 'At that end of the cable external to the drum there is secured a suitable tool 34 for cutting away the scale, corrosion, or other material causing the stoppage or restriction inthe pipe, drainbet.

When the parts are in their non-operative por sition (see Figs. 1 and 4) the lower hollow portion of the handle 32 telescopes over the uppercylindrical end of the bearing I8, thus serving to support one end of the power unit. The other end of the power unit is supported by aswingableharm 35 pivoted to the cradle .as atv 36 and having a saddle-like portion 31 at its outer yend in which the lower part of the power ,unit rests, whilehenf' gaged with shoulder 4i! of the gear housing. l A projection 38, on the-cradle,-fserveslasja stop, to

limit movement of the arm 35 in one'direction.I

When the power unit is functioning the amr-35 is swung downwardly totheposition shown in Fig.-2. 1 Current to energize the motor 3 ,0jof thepower unit is supplied by means `ofthe conventional conductor 39, which may be plugged into` any i convenient electrical outlet. Y

When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1, the entire apparatus may be conveniently transported by gripping one side ofl theupper portion of the saddle with one hand, preferably on that side over which the power Yunit extends.v

Because of the compact arrangemenrthegapparatus can be carried into rather confined `quarters and positioned conveniently adjacent theoutlet of the pipe, drain or the like to' becleaned.` y It will be understood at this timethat the major part of the flexible cable is stored in coiled condition within the storagel drum,where,:it.is out of the way. Y

Assuming the apparatus hasibeen'plavc'ed. ad#

operation, the cradle. will be positioned at that angle which will move'the drum so Athat its axis-of rotation willmost freelygpermit of thepayin'gfout1 I ofithe flexiblecable. Y Theltooliat the-end ofthe 75 '4 flexible cable is then inserted in the pipe or drain opening and the motor started to cause rotation of the cable and the cutter aiiixed thereto. The cable is then fed forward as the cleaning operation progresses.

When the cleaning operation has been completed, the parts may be quickly and easily restored to the position shown in Fig. 1. The soiled cable is then stored within the drum, where it may be dried, aerated, and cleaned, if desired, through the vent holes 4I The apparatus is at once light, compact, sturdy and efiicient for its intended purpose.

y While I have illustrated and described the pref erred formrof the invention as required by law, I do not wish to berlimited to the specific details, except as may benecessary by limitations in the hereunto appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

l. Apparatus for cleaning pipes or drains embodying therein a. stand including a base and laterally spaced uprights thereon, arcradle disposed between said uprights, and including top and bottom spaced portions and upright side por-Y f tions, means providing a horizontal pivotal connection between said side portions of the` cradle and said uprights, that is operableV to hold the cradle in the desired tilted position, 'a iiexible cable Vholding drum disposed in said portionsof the cradle, and means providing rotative bearing engagement for the top-and bottom'of the drum in the top and bottom `spaced portions of the cradle. v

2. In an apparatus of theI kind described, a

stand embodying therein, a U-shaped member and adjacent an upright portion of said U-shapedl member, and means providing a'horizontal piv'-Y otal connection betweenV the vside'members -oit'th'e cradle and the upright portions of the U-shaped memberV for Va'stilting movementof the 'cradle relative to said U-shaped member 'and' which means is operable `to hold the cradle in the 'de sired` position into which it has'been tilted;

3. Apparatus ofthe kind described embodying therein a stand including a base and laterally spaced uprightsy an'open frame-like cradle dis'- posed between said uprights and including 'a bot-v tom span, upstandingsidesand a top portion, coacting means carried by the sides of'said' cradle and by said ,uprights respectively. providingV a tilting movementof the cradle about a. horizontal axis in the stand, a hollow cablefholdingdr'um disposed within the cradle and having abot'tomf and a top, parts; carried` by saidbottom andwtop of the drum coacting with parts carriedLbyv Said Span andthe top portion of the cradleproviding.

mea-nsabout whichthe drum may rotate on an axis perpendicular to the first mentioned axis.

said part on the top of the drum being tubular.-

for the passage of the cable into and drum.

therein cable holding means, a supportingstruc' ture therefor includinga U=shaped member' hav:

5 ing a. horizontal portion and upright sides rising from and having connections with the ends of said horizontal portion, a base for said U-shaped member comprising parts extending outwardly in opposite directions from bottom portions of said upright sides, an open frame-like cradle embodying therein upright sides, a top and a bottom, disposed between the upright sides of said U-shaped member, means providing a pivotal connection between the sides of said cradle and the upright sides of the U-shaped member andL whereby the cradle may tilt relatively to said upright side about a horizontal axis, said cable holding means being disposed within said cradle and including upper and lower portions journalled in said top and bottom of the cradle for rotation about an axis perpendicular to said horizontal axis, the upper portions of the cable holding means being tubular for the passage of the cable into and out of said cable holding means.

5. Apparatus of the kind described embodying therein cable holding means, a supporting structure therefor including a U-shaped member having a horizontal bottom portion and upright sides rising from and having corner-like connections with the ends of said horizontal portion, a base for said U-shaped member comprising members which include at least mid portions of angle bar cross section that are fixed on the inside thereof to said corner-like connections, end portions of said base members extending outwardly in opposite directions from said U-shaped member, an open frame-like cradle embodying therein up- 6 right sides, a top and a bottom, disposed between the upper ends of said upright sides of the U-shaped member, means providing a horizontal pivotal connection between each side of the cradle and each upright side of the U-shaped member and connecting said sides together while permitting a tilting movement of the cradle about said horizontal pivotal connection, said cable holding means being disposed within said cradle and including upper and lower portions journalled in said top and bottom of the cradle for rotation about an axis perpendicular to said horizontal pivotal connection, the upper portion of said cable holding means being tubular for the passage of the cable into and out of said cable holding means.

JOHN V. OBRIEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are lof record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 195,910 Walters Oct. 9, 1877 360,342 Evans Mar. 29, 1887 2,075,215 Magruder Mar. 30, 1937 2,167,268 Sanger July 25, 1939 2,227,442 De Millar Jan. 7, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 182,574 Great Britain July 7, 1922 

